Is there anything better than Halloween train rides in Northern California this October? Pumpkins, steam whistles, kids in costume, and somebody else doing the driving!
I have been pulling this list together for a few years now, because every autumn somebody asks me the same question. Which Halloween train is worth the drive, and which one suits my kids?
So here are 10 Halloween and pumpkin train rides across Northern California for 2026, grouped by how far you will actually drive from the Bay Area. Some are 30 minutes away, while others are worth a whole weekend.
I have checked every one of these against the railroad’s own website, because half the listings floating around online are still showing last year’s dates. Let’s go!
Halloween Train Rides in Northern California at a Glance
| Train | Where | 2026 Dates | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haunted Train | Fremont | Oct 16–18, 23–25 | Evening spooky, under 12 |
| Thomas & Percy’s Halloween Party | Felton | Oct 10–11, 17–18, 24–25 | Toddlers and preschoolers |
| Pumpkin Patch | Suisun City | Oct 10–11, 17–18, 24–25 | A full harvest festival day |
| Pumpkin Patch Express | West Sacramento | Weekends in October | Take a pumpkin home |
| Pumpkin Patch Flyer | Folsom | Oct 3–19 | Little ones, free pumpkin |
| Harvest Haunt | Jamestown | Oct 10–11, 17–18, 24–25, 31 | Costume themes by weekend |
| Skeleton Starlight | Jamestown | Oct 17, 24, 31 | After dark, older kids |
| Pumpkin Express | Willits | October | Redwoods, and a 21+ car |
| Pumpkin Patch Express | Portola | Oct 17–18, 24–25 | $20 per carload |
| Halloween Limited | Fish Camp | Oct 23–25 | Dinner and ghost stories |
Bay Area Day Trips
Best of all, these three are close enough to do in an afternoon or an evening, and be home the same night.
1. Haunted Train, Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont
This is the one that sells out, and for good reason. Here, a little narrow gauge train carries you through the Eucalyptus Woods after dark, past carved pumpkins, decorated groves and the Witch of Ardenwood herself.
- Dates: October 16, 17, 18 and October 23, 24, 25, 2026
- Times: Friday and Saturday every 30 minutes from 7pm to 9:30pm. Sunday 7pm to 9pm
- Price: $19.50 flat for ages 3 and up
- Duration: About 20 minutes
- Where: 34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont. Parking is free
- Booking: Online only at spcrr.ticketspice.com. No tickets sold at the gate, and all sales are final
How spooky: It is aimed squarely at children under 12, and the railroad describes it as spooky rather than scary. In other words, no jump scares, no loud noises, no gore. Also, children six and under ride on an adult’s lap.
Also, the costume rules trip people up. Nothing that extends beyond the body, so no wings and no inflatables. No masks for teens or adults, no scary costumes, and no costume lights.
My tips: Arrive 30 minutes early, because the trains leave on time and there is no refund if you miss yours. The cars are open air and Fremont fogs in after dark, so dress everyone warmer than you think! Plus, no food or drink is allowed on board.
Also note that any listing you see quoting $15 or pointing at Eventbrite is from a previous year. That is because they moved ticketing in 2026.
2. Thomas & Percy’s Halloween Party, Roaring Camp, Felton
If you have a toddler who loves Thomas, your whole day is planned. However, it is not a haunt at all, and there is nothing remotely frightening about it.
- Dates: October 10–11, 17–18 and 24–25, 2026
- Hours: 9am to 5pm, with timed train departures booked in advance
- Price: $27 peak (11am to 2pm), $25 off peak. Same price for all ages. Parking is $10 extra
- Under ones ride free, but a one year old needs a full ticket
- Duration: A 25 minute ride, one per ticket, plus all day on the grounds
- Where: 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton
- Booking: roaringcamp.com
What you get besides the ride: photos with Thomas, Percy and Sir Topham Hatt, Pick-A-Pumpkin, pumpkin decorating, a costume contest, live music, a magician, bounce houses, temporary tattoos and craft stations.
My tips: Your seat is assigned by car, and cars 1 and 8 are nearest the engines, so ask when you book if that matters to your child. Then arrive an hour before your slot. Also, there are no refunds or exchanges.
Also, Highway 17 on an October weekend is really slow. So give yourself far more time than the map suggests!
3. Pumpkin Patch, Western Railway Museum, Suisun City
A vintage electric train carries you out to Gum Grove Farm, and this one is a real festival rather than just a ride. In addition, the museum runs it jointly with local Rotary Clubs, and it is their biggest fundraiser of the year.
- Dates: October 10–11, 17–18 and 24–25, 2026
- Hours: 9:30am to 4:30pm. Trains run every 30 minutes, first out at 10am, last one back from the patch at 4:30pm
- Duration: Hop on, hop off. Stay at the patch as long as you like and catch any return train
- Where: 5848 State Highway 12, Suisun City, about an hour from San Francisco
- Booking: westernrailwaymuseum.simpletix.com, or call 707-374-2978
At the patch: pumpkin chucking, a hay fort, a zipline, tractor rides, a petting zoo, live music, and Rotary food and drink stalls.
My tips: In fact, the museum says plainly that tickets sell out fast and capacity per train is limited, so book ahead and arrive about 30 minutes before your departure. The site is dog friendly, but the historic cars are not wheelchair accessible.
However, you will need to call for prices. The museum has not published 2026 festival pricing on its event page, and the figures circulating online do not trace back to them. Special event pricing differs from regular admission, so call 707-374-2978 before you plan a budget.
Sacramento Area and Gold Country
About two hours out, and easy to pair with a night away.
4. Pumpkin Patch Express, River Fox Train, West Sacramento
A scenic run through Yolo County farmland to River Fox’s own pumpkin patch, worked in partnership with Dave’s Pumpkin Patch.
- Dates: Every Saturday and Sunday in October 2026
- Included: Pick your own pumpkin, warm apple cider and a donut, plus fall activities back at Elkhorn Station
- Costumes encouraged
- Where: Elkhorn Station, 18095 County Road 117, West Sacramento, off I-5 Exit 531. Parking is free
- Booking: riverfoxtrain.com, or call 1-800-866-1690
My tips: Boarding opens 30 minutes before departure. Also, it is a card-only facility with no cash accepted, no outside food, and dogs are not allowed on this particular excursion. Tickets are non-refundable, though you can reschedule with 72 hours notice.
Also, there are two things to check when you call. Exact departure times and current prices are not published on their website, only inside the booking calendar. And some older listings mention onboard trick-or-treating and bouncy houses, which do not appear in their 2026 description. Worth confirming if that is why you are going!
Note that this train is not wheelchair accessible.
5. Pumpkin Patch Flyer, Folsom
This is a rail motorcar ride rather than a locomotive, which makes it an unusual little outing. It runs out to Willow Springs, and every child picks and decorates a free pumpkin.
- Dates: The first three weekends of October 2026, within an October 3 to 19 window
- Departures: Every 30 minutes
- Duration: A 10 minute ride each way, and roughly an hour to 90 minutes for the whole visit. Stay at the patch as long as you like
- Included: One free pumpkin per child while supplies last, pumpkin decorating, pumpkin bowling and cookie decorating
- Where: Oak Station, 700 Oak Avenue Parkway, Folsom, with parking alongside
- Booking: psvrr.org, tickets through Etix
My tips: The railroad states clearly that you must have a reservation and that no tickets are sold at the station. Plus, they take Visa and Mastercard only. Also, there are no restrooms on board, just a porta-potty at Willow Springs, and closed toe shoes are recommended. No pets except service animals.
Worth knowing: the railroad paused operations in early 2026 for track repairs, so this year’s Pumpkin Patch Flyer is part of its return to service. As a result, it is the only event on their autumn calendar, and a lovely thing to support.
Finally, ignore any price you see quoted online for this one. The figures that come up in search are from 2025 and the article itself says so. Check Etix for the current fare.
6. Harvest Haunt, Railtown 1897, Jamestown
This one did not make my reel and it should have! Railtown 1897 is one of only two intact working steam era roundhouse complexes left in the country, and the Harvest Haunt is its daytime October excursion through the Mother Lode countryside.
- Dates: October 10–11, 17–18, 24–25 and Saturday October 31, 2026
- Times: 10:30am, noon, 1:30pm and 3pm
- Price: Adults $23, youth 6 to 17 $18, children 5 and under free
- Duration: About 45 minutes
- Booking: railtown1897.org, tickets through Etix
Best of all, the costume themes change every weekend, which my kids would have loved. October 10–11 is Witches and Wizards, 17–18 is Critters and Creatures, 24–25 is Princesses and Pirates, and October 31 has no theme.
However, do check the theme order against their site before you plan an outfit, because it rotated this year!
7. Skeleton Starlight, Railtown 1897, Jamestown
The same railroad after dark, staffed by a skeleton crew, running out to a spooky Western ghost town. So this is the one for the eight and up crowd who find the daytime version too gentle.
- Dates: Saturdays October 17, 24 and 31, 2026
- Times: 6pm and 7:30pm
- Price: Adults $35, youth 3 to 17 $23, children 2 and under $1. Members pay less. Park admission is included
- Duration: 45 minutes
In fact, tickets went on sale at the start of September with a member presale first, which tells you demand is real. Note that the locomotive can change at short notice, so do not promise anyone a particular engine!
Worth a Weekend Getaway
These three are too far for a day trip, but they are the ones that turn into the story your kids tell all year.
8. Pumpkin Express, Skunk Train, Willits
Two hours of redwoods, and a pumpkin patch in a glade at Crowley that you would never find by car.
- Dates: October 2026. Check their booking calendar for exact dates
- Duration: Two hours, 16 miles round trip, about 45 minutes each way
- Included: Seasonal treats on board, adult beverages for the grown-ups, time to walk the patch, and a pumpkin to carry back on the train
- Infants 2 and under ride free on a lap
- Where: Departs Willits, 299 East Commercial Street. Just two hours from San Francisco
- Dogs are welcome with a dog ticket
Important: this one departs from Willits, not Fort Bragg. The tunnel between the two has been out of service since 2015 and there is still no through route, so do not turn up on the coast expecting to board!
New for 2026: the Noyo Presidential Class car is now bookable on select Pumpkin Express weekend departures. However, it is 21 and over, with two cocktails, light bites and priority boarding, so it is one for a couple rather than the family.
My tips: Arrive 30 minutes early, it is a card only facility, and tickets are non-refundable though you can reschedule up to 72 hours before. Also, residents of Mendocino, Humboldt and Lake counties get a discount applied by zip code at checkout.
9. Pumpkin Patch Express and Super Spooky Night Trains, Portola
In short, this is the best value on the entire list, and it is not close.
- Dates: October 17, 18, 24 and 25, 2026
- Daytime trains: Hourly from 1pm to 5pm
- Super Spooky Night Trains: Hourly from 7pm to 9pm, Saturday nights only
- Price: $20 per carload, or $15 per carload if you bring four cans of food for the local food bank. Free for museum members
- Where: Western Pacific Railroad Museum, 700 Western Pacific Way, Portola
Yes, per carload. Not per person! Pumpkins cost extra, and there is no online booking at all, so you simply turn up and pay.
Also, there are two things to know. First, the museum’s regular season ends on October 4, so these events are the only way in for the rest of the month. Second, the museum states that October special events run weather permitting, so call 530-832-4131 if the forecast looks rough.
Since it is about four hours from the Bay Area and roughly an hour from Reno, this is a Tahoe weekend add-on rather than a day out.
10. Halloween Limited, Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, Fish Camp
The most elaborate of the lot, and the only one where dinner is part of the deal. A steam train carries you into the forest for storytelling after dark, ten minutes from Yosemite’s south entrance.
- Dates: October 23, 24 and 25, 2026. Their own page still shows an older date range, so confirm when you book
- Duration: Three and a half hours, one train per day
- Price: Adults 16 and over $63.60, children 3 to 15 $42.40, infants 2 and under free on a lap. Fright Class in the caboose is $132.50. Tax is already included
- Where: 56001 Highway 41, Fish Camp
- Booking: ymsprr.com
How the evening runs: check in at 4pm for trick-or-treating, gold panning and the shop. Dinner at 5pm at the picnic area. The train leaves at 5:45pm, spooky stories in the forest at 6:15pm, then back at the station by 7:30pm.
Best of all, dinner is included. For example, children get an all-beef hot dog, chips, coleslaw and dessert. Meanwhile, adults get a bratwurst with the same sides. They will accommodate dietary needs if you ask in advance.
Fright Class adds complimentary drinks, table service at dinner, a story told in the caboose itself and a chance to ride up in the cupola.
My tips: Since there is just one train a day across three dates with a seated dinner, this will go. Book early. Plus, costumes are encouraged and there are contests. It is also wheelchair accessible.
Which Halloween Train Is Right for Your Family?
- Toddlers and preschoolers: Thomas and Percy’s Halloween Party at Roaring Camp, or the Pumpkin Patch Flyer in Folsom
- Kids who want a bit of a fright: the Haunted Train at Ardenwood, or Skeleton Starlight at Railtown
- A full day out, not just a ride: the Pumpkin Patch at Western Railway Museum
- Coming home with a pumpkin: River Fox, Folsom, or the Skunk Train
- On a budget: Portola, at $20 per carload
- A special occasion: the Halloween Limited at Fish Camp, dinner and all
- Grown-ups without the kids: the 21 and over car on the Skunk Train
Booking Tips for Halloween Train Rides in Northern California
First, book now, not in October. Ardenwood, Roaring Camp and Western Railway Museum all say outright that they sell out, and weekend slots go first everywhere.
Second, check the year on whatever you are reading. This trips up so many families. Several railroads still have last year’s dates and prices sitting on their own pages and in search results. Always click through to the booking calendar.
Also, most of these are non-refundable. Ardenwood, Roaring Camp, Folsom, River Fox and the Skunk Train all have final sale or non-refundable terms, though some allow a reschedule.
In addition, dress for cold. Half of these are open air evening rides in October. Fremont fogs, the redwoods hold the chill, and Portola in the Sierra gets seriously cold after dark.
Finally, arrive early. Almost every railroad asks for 30 minutes, and Roaring Camp asks for an hour. Trains leave on time and nobody refunds a missed departure.
Trains That Are Not Running a Halloween Event in 2026
I checked these too, because old listings send families on wasted searches every year.
- California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento. The long running Spookomotive and Track or Treat excursions do not appear on the 2026 calendar at all. The pages you will find for them are between four and ten years old
- Niles Canyon Railway, Sunol. No Halloween train this year, just regular diesel and steam runs. Worth knowing that both October steam dates are already sold out
- Sierra Dinner Train, Oakdale. Not operating at present. They now point visitors to River Fox instead
- Sonoma TrainTown and Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad in Los Gatos have nothing in October
- Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum. Regular programming only, no Halloween event
If you spot a Halloween train listing for any of these, check the date on the page before you drive!
Halloween Train Rides in Northern California: FAQs
What is the best Halloween train near the Bay Area?
For an evening ride with a bit of a thrill, the Haunted Train at Ardenwood in Fremont. If you have toddlers, try Thomas and Percy’s Halloween Party at Roaring Camp in Felton. Finally, for a full festival day, try the Pumpkin Patch at the Western Railway Museum in Suisun City.
Which Halloween trains sell out fastest?
Ardenwood, Roaring Camp and the Western Railway Museum all state that they sell out. Ardenwood sells online only with no tickets at the gate, and Folsom sells no tickets at the station at all. Book several weeks ahead for any October weekend.
Are Halloween train rides scary for young children?
For the most part, no. Ardenwood is described as spooky rather than scary with no jump scares and is aimed at under twelves. Roaring Camp, the Western Railway Museum, River Fox, Folsom and the Skunk Train have no scare content at all. Skeleton Starlight and the Halloween Limited are after dark and mildly spooky.
Which Halloween train lets you take a pumpkin home?
River Fox in West Sacramento, the Pumpkin Patch Flyer in Folsom, where each child gets a free pumpkin, and the Skunk Train from Willits. At Portola you can pick one but pumpkins cost extra.
What is the cheapest Halloween train in Northern California?
Without a doubt, Portola. The Western Pacific Railroad Museum charges $20 per carload, or $15 per carload if you bring four cans of food for the local food bank.
Do Halloween trains run in the rain?
Most run rain or shine, including Ardenwood, which operates in light rain, and Roaring Camp. Portola is the exception, since the museum states its October special events run weather permitting. Call ahead there if the forecast looks bad.
What should we wear on a Halloween train ride?
Layers, and more of them than you think. Many of these are open air cars on October evenings. Fremont fogs in after dark, the redwoods hold the chill, and Portola sits in the Sierra. Closed toe shoes are sensible everywhere.
Can you take a stroller or wheelchair on a Halloween train?
It varies a lot, so check before you go. The Halloween Limited at Fish Camp is wheelchair accessible, and Roaring Camp has an accessible car with stroller parking during the ride. The historic cars at the Western Railway Museum are not accessible, and River Fox states its train is not wheelchair accessible.
How far in advance should I book a Halloween train?
Ideally, several weeks ahead for any weekend date. Railtown opened sales at the start of September with a member presale first. Ardenwood, Folsom and the Western Railway Museum all require advance reservations with no walk up sales.
Are there Halloween trains near Lake Tahoe?
The closest is the Pumpkin Patch Express and Super Spooky Night Trains at Portola, about an hour from Reno. It runs on October 17, 18, 24 and 25, 2026.
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Travel Realizations
Somehow, there is something about a train in autumn that nothing else quite matches. The whistle, the cold air coming through an open car, the slow rhythm of a track laid down a hundred years ago.
After all, most of these railroads are run by volunteers and nonprofits, and the pumpkin trains are how they keep the engines turning over for another year. So buying a ticket is its own small kindness.
Pick one of these Halloween train rides in Northern California, book it before it sells out, and let somebody else do the driving for an afternoon!
Leave a comment below if you have any questions, or DM me on Instagram @travelrealizations.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to Halloween train rides in Northern California. You may also enjoy the fall and Halloween guides listed below!
- Bay Area Halloween Events: Best Things to Do
- 20 Best Pumpkin Patches In The San Francisco Bay Area
- The Great Glass Pumpkin Patch in Palo Alto
- Best Ghost Tours in San Francisco
- Beautiful Steam Train Rides Near San Francisco
If you need this travel guide to Halloween train rides in Northern California, Pin It for later!
